ITV

Category: Technology

  • Inter-ministerial group to study Trai recommendations

    Inter-ministerial group to study Trai recommendations

    MUMBAI: An inter-ministerial group headed by J S Mathur, additional secretary in the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, will examine the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India‘s (Trai) recommendation against allowing government or government entities in television broadcasting and distribution.

    The I&B Ministry has already cleared a proposal for the setting up of an inter-ministerial group, which would in fact function as an institutional mechanism to study all the recommendations made by Trai.

    The I&B Ministry will take a view on the recommendations of Trai after the inter-ministerial group gives its views. This could mean a decision on the application by The Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation for a digital addressable system (DAS) licence for Chennai would be delayed.

    Any prolonged delay in deciding on Arasu‘s application, which was submitted in July, could also have an implication for implementation of digitisation in Chennai.

    Mumbai and Delhi have already switched over to digital delivery of television channels, while Kolkata is almost through.

    The I&B Ministry had in November made a reference to Trai to re-examine its 2008 recommendations which said government, government entities and government-owned companies should not be allowed in television broadcasting and distribution. Trai stuck to its 2008 views and also reiterated that any government entity allowed in television distribution should be allowed an exit route.

    Apart from central government ministries, the governments of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab also have expressed intentions of launching their own television channels.

  • Star India launches video portal starsports.com

    Star India launches video portal starsports.com

    MUMBAI: Star India, which holds the BCCI media rights, has launched an India-focussed online platform starsports.com to exploit the digital media rights that it owns along with its sister concerns.

    The website which flagged-off with the Pakistan tour of India will provide a video experience for cricket fans that includes high definition video streaming, an advanced player that can be individually controlled and the ability to catch up on the game through both a video scorecard and a video timeline that marks the key moments of the game.

    Commenting on the launch, Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, "At Star, we have always focused on dramatically enhancing the overall consumer experience. Smart technology, combined with powerful content, can be disruptive and we are excited about offering Indian fans an entirely new way of experiencing their favorite game."

    The live streaming and video content will playback on select iOS devices and Android OS version 3.0 and above. However access to video content is currently limited to select operators.

    The non-video sections of the website pages will work on all tablets. The Live streaming and Video content will play back on select iOS devices and Android OS version 3.0 and above.

  • Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroop signs up with three DTH ops

    Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroop signs up with three DTH ops

    MUMBAI: Even as theatre owners in Tamil Nadu threaten to boycott Kamal Haasan‘s Vishwaroopam, Raaj Kamal Films International, the production company owned by the Tamil superstar, has gone ahead and signed up with third direct-to-home (DTH) operator Dish TV to premiere the movie one day before its theatrical release.

    Vishwaroopam, the first ever Indian film to premiere on DTH before its theatrical release, had earlier signed up with Videocon d2h and Airtel digital TV.

    Dish TV along with Videocon d2h and Airtel digital TV will showcase the movie on 10 January, one day before its theatrical release on 11 January.

    Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association and Madurai-Ramanathapuram United Film Distributors, who have been opposing the actor‘s decision, have threatened to boycott the film if the actor doesn‘t reconsider his decision. The theatre owners have also urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to intervene and protect their interests.

    However, DTH operators feel the DTH premiere is an idea whose time has come. Even Haasan had made it clear that there was no going back on the decision to premiere it on DTH first.

    Says Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor, "It is an idea whose time has come; we are glad that the movie fraternity is looking at this technology as a new revenue stream. As a pioneer in the DTH space, this is yet another first to Dish TV‘s credit.

    This Indian spy thriller which is being writtend Directed and co-produced by Haasan is priced at Rs 1,000 per view for the Tamil version, if the subscriber books the order till 5 January. After 5 January, subscribers would need to pay Rs 1,200 per view.

    The Hindi and Telugu versions of the movie are priced at Rs. 500. Tamil and Telugu versions are called Vishwaroopam and Hindi version of the same is named Vishwaroop.

  • France 24 expands distribution in key markets

    France 24 expands distribution in key markets

    MUMBAI: International news network France 24 has concluded a series of new distribution agreements, allowing the channel to strengthen its worldwide distribution in Denmark, Burma, Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

    In Denmark, the French and the Arabic versions of France 24 have joined the English version on the Digital terrestrial network (DTT) operated by Open Channel in Copenhagen. This new agreement allows France 24 to be available in three languages to 700,000 households throughout the Danish capital city.

    In Burma, France 24 English version has just launched on the new IPTV network Skynet (channel 45), allowing the channel to be available to 50 000 subscribers across the country.

    The news broadcaster has also signed an agreement with Telkom Vision in Indonesia which will ensure France 24 English version‘s availability on the operator‘s cable, IPTV and DTH offers. France 24 is now accessible to an additional 100,000 subscribers in major Indonesian cities, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang and Denpasar.

    France 24 has extended its agreement with Singtel, the largest telecommunications company in Singapore, allowing its English version to be available on the operator mobile offer to 90 000 subscribers (Mobile TV subscribers).

    In Thailand, France 24 is now available on major IPTV operator ME TV. France 24 English version is now available 24/7 in the basic offer, while the French version will be available "?-la-carte" for 220 Bahts (5,5 Euros) per month.

    In Australia, France 24 has partnered with SBS, allowing its English version to be broadcast 30mn per day at 3pm on SBS ONE. This 30-minute news segment is also available for free on the Australian network website.

  • inext gets new brand identity

    inext gets new brand identity

    MUMBAI: Bilingual compact daily inext has launched a brand new ensemble coinciding with the onset of New Year.

    The tabloid has undergone a complete revamp in terms of content and design. A lot of new editorial fixtures have been incorporated to entice and engage the youth.

    There will be updates about latest mobile apps for school going teen, to job opportunities for the young professionals. The presentation and styling of the content has been switched to a higher side, with a new font, aggressive packaging and racier headlines, the company said.

    inext COO and editor Alok Sanwal said, "The facelift has been given to impart the young readers a taste of unique reading experience in terms of distinctiveness of news, quality of information and entertainment quotient. i next now has an accentuated youth feel and I am sure it shall be closer to their hearts and more in conjunction with their needs and aspirations."

    The design and layout has also changed to a more user friendly one. The website of i next- inextlive.com has also undergone changes and is coming up with a sleeker version of the youth infotainment junction. A lot of new fixtures for engaging and connecting with the young audience have also been introduced.

    "Lot of crucial and quick changes have happened in the last 5-6 years in the print/digital industry. Most of them are triggered by the young audience who is now savvier, smarter and more aware. Therefore, continual innovations in terms of content marketing are needed to reach them and give them the content they want, in the way they relish," Sanwal added.

    Emphasising on inext‘s upcoming audience engagement initiatives, Sanwal believes that social media plays a key role in connecting to its readers. "Engaging the young audience is not a virtue anymore, it is the need. Social media being the catalyst is also the key tool to cultivate and measure their reading habits, pattern and behaviour. The latest avatar of i next, both digital and print imbibes a plethora of avenues for this relationship building by providing new reader connectivity initiatives."

  • Disney, Charter Communications renew distribution deal

    Disney, Charter Communications renew distribution deal

    MUMBAI: Charter Communications has extended its distribution agreement with The Walt Disney Company to deliver Disney‘s lineup of sports, news and entertainment content to Charter TV customers across televisions, computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and internet-enabled televisions.

    As part of the new multi-year deal, The Longhorn Network will launch in Texas, Louisiana and Virginia systems by football season next year. Charter and The Walt Disney Company will also introduce several new services, including the full suite of authenticated WATCH products, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, as well as the upcoming ABC News/Univision Joint Venture, a 24/7 news, information and lifestyle multi-platform network for English-dominant and bilingual Hispanics, the youngest and fastest-growing demographic in the U.S.

    In total, approximately 70 services are covered by the broad scope of this agreement including: ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN 3D, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN Full Court, ESPN3, The Longhorn Network, and retransmission consent for WABC-TV, KABC-TV, WLS-TV, KGO-TV, KTRK-TV, WTVD-TV and KFSN-TV, as well as more than 10 high-definition networks.

    Charter customers will receive broad access to existing products like WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior, the to-be-launched WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family services and WatchESPN (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater). These products will give Charter customers more opportunities to access live and video on demand content, both in-home and out-of-home, on their computers, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles.

    "This agreement enables us to offer our customers additional value, choice and convenience," said Charter‘s Senior Vice President, Programming Allan Singer. "More and more content is being enjoyed on tablets and other Internet-connected devices, and today‘s viewers are sharing their TV experiences in new ways. Our agreement with Disney enables more robust ways to enjoy and socialize TV."

    Disney & ESPN Networks Group EVP, Affiliate Sales and Marketing David Preschlack added, "Our agreement with Charter represents the sixth top ten distributor renewal encompassing Disney‘s full suite of products and services. With this deal, Charter‘s video customers will derive even greater benefit from the value of their multichannel subscription model, including 24/7 live access to our content via the WATCH Disney services and WatchESPN across more platforms than ever before, as well as other new and advanced services."

    Launch of content across these new distribution platforms is planned to begin in the first half of 2013.

  • NBCUniversal renews carriage deal with NCTC

    NBCUniversal renews carriage deal with NCTC

    MUMBAI: NBCUniversal has renewed its carriage deal with National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) that encompasses broad distribution for the programmer‘s full portfolio of cable and broadcast services, as well as a first-ever retransmission consent deal for NBC and Telemundo Owned Stations.

    With completion of this renewal agreement, NBCUniversal‘s national cable networks, including Bravo, cloo, Chiller, CNBC, CNBC World, E!, G4, Golf Channel, MSNBC, mun2, NBC Sports Network, Oxygen, Sprout, Style, Syfy, Telemundo, Universal HD and USA will be carried by NCTC‘s nearly 1,000 independent cable operator members nationwide.

    Included in the deal are rights to carry the Olympic Games, as well as on-demand content from NBCUniversal‘s cable and broadcast network portfolio, and access to live channels across multiple platforms, both in and out of the home.

    NBCUniversal EVP Content Distribution Matt Bond said, "NCTC‘s members will continue to have access to the best English and Spanish language cable network and broadcast programming. This agreement reflects NCTC‘s understanding of the value that NBCUniversal delivers to their members."

    NCTC EVP of Programming Judy Meyka said, "NCTC is pleased to extend our long relationship with NBCUniversal and provide members continued access to their linear networks. In addition, we are excited to add NBCU‘s broad portfolio of on-demand content for multiple platforms to the agreement. We had over 80 members participate in delivering the 2012 Olympics to multiple platforms, demonstrating that members have both the capability and interest in serving customers on new platforms. Including retransmission consent for NBC and Telemundo owned stations are another valued addition to this agreement."

    The agreement with NCTC follows NBCUniversal‘s recent distribution agreements with Cablevision, Mediacom, Suddenlink and Verizon.

  • Five more Doordarshan kendras to get satellite uplinking facility

    Five more Doordarshan kendras to get satellite uplinking facility

    NEW DELHI: Doordarshan, which uplinks from 36 DD Kendras in the country, is to add five more centres for linking to satellite.

    DD sources told indiantelevision.com that establishment of satellite uplinking facility is being installed in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), and Rajkot (Rajasthan).

    The programme is being implemented under the Eleventh Plan and the projects are expected to be completed by late 2013, the sources added.

    The sources said that uplinking facility is provided at those centres where there is requirement for uplinking of programmes.

    However, downlinking facility is provided at all DD Kendras for receiving programmes through satellite.

  • Karunanidhi defends denial of licence to Arasu

    Karunanidhi defends denial of licence to Arasu

    MUMBAI: DMK chief M Karunanidhi has come out in support of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for not giving Digital Addressable System (DAS) licence to the Tamil Nadu government-owned Arasu Cable TV Corporation.

    Karunanidhi, who had set up Arasu Cable TV Corporation during his reign as chief minister, said the UPA government was going by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India‘s (Trai) recommendation that prevents government or government-owned entities from entering the television broadcasting or distribution business.

    “The Centre can decide on issuing DAS Licence only based on the recommendations of Trai guidelines. Trai had recommended that Centre and state governments should not involve in cable TV broadcasting,” he said in an interview to party mouthpiece ‘Murasoli‘.

    He also expressed disdain at Jayalalithaa‘s accusation that the government was deliberately not issuing licence to Arasu in order to benefit his family.

    The DMK chief also said it was not proper on her part to make such remarks at the National Development Council meeting.

    Jayalalithaa had at the National Development Council (NDC) meeting recently lambasted the government for deliberately holding licence in order to a ‘political‘ family in a veiled reference to Karunanidhi and his family.

    Arasu is yet to receive a DAS licence to operate in Chennai despite repeated plea by the state government and AIADMK MP‘s, who taken the issue to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well. Arasu had applied for a DAS licence in July.

    Karunanidhi and his family hold considerable interest in television and distribution business in Tamil Nadu. While Karunanidhi‘s family owns Kalaignar TV, his grand nephew Kalanithi Maran owns the Sun Group, which has interests in television, print, radio, DTH and cable distribution.

    Pertinently, Trai had on 28 December reiterated its November 2008 recommendation that central and state governments or entities owned by them should not be allowed to be in broadcasting and television channel distribution businesses.

    The regulator had submitted its recommendations to the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry on “Issues related to entry of government or government entities into the business of broadcasting and/or distribution of TV channels”.

    It also reiterated its view that the government should provide an appropriate exit route to government or government-owned companies which have already been accorded permission to carry on the business of television channel distribution.

    The recommendations are expected to impact Arasu, which had received licence in 2007 to operate in Tamil Nadu.

  • Shailendra Singh to launch new website on 1 Jan

    Shailendra Singh to launch new website on 1 Jan

    MUMBAI: 1 January will mark the launch of www.iammadeinindia.com at the hands of United Welfare Trust and Percept Limited joint managing director Shailendra Singh. The aim of the website is to enable proud citizens of India to come together, express their positive views, inspiring opinions and celebrate the beauty of being Indian.

    The website will serve as India‘s first platform where they can know about inspiring stories and news from across the nation and will read all about, and only about, ‘good news‘! Visitors can check back every morning for ‘Breaking Good News!‘ and start their day with the right energy.

    Singh launched the ‘MADE IN INDIA‘ project, a United Welfare Trust initiative, with the objective to celebrate, promote and build Brand India. ‘MADE IN INDIA‘ looks to unite all Indians in “Celebration of India”. The focus will only be on the positive and activities will be targeted at spreading goodwill and inspiration.

    ‘MADE IN INDIA‘ will be a holistic, 360-degree movement encompassing online, on ground and media activities with an objective to finding a prominent place in the hearts of a billion Indians. Phase I of the venture will include merchandise, knowledge expos, charity dinners, online platforms and even a feature film.

    The site will feature the ‘Top 100 Indians‘ both present in India and settled across the globe. Visitors can surf and choose from a library of 50 AVs showcasing ‘50 Glorious Moments in Indian History‘. New properties that will be launched through 2013 – 2014 include the ‘World Rankings of Top 100 Indians‘ and the ‘Made in India Roadtrip‘. An uplifting feature of this website is that it will strictly filter any negative comments or hateful responses and only focus on positive views – thereby spreading a celebratory vibe across the nation.

    The site enables everyone an opportunity to send their messages, views and thoughts to the Top 100 Indians located in India and around the world. ‘www.iammadeinindia.com‘ will make every possible effort to ensure that these messages are delivered and viewed by these iconic individuals.

    A very exclusive and innovative feature of the ‘MADE IN INDIA”™ (MII) project is the unique registration process wherein Indians register online at www.iammadeinindia.com and attain a unique alpha-numeric code that becomes their MADE IN INDIA Citizenship Number. This number can be sported by MII citizens on their customized, MII exclusive merchandise and also used for a range of activities, communication and entitlements under the various MII initiatives.

    MADE IN INDIA aims to capture ‘Top Indian Interviews‘ which will feature Indian achievers, leaders, celebrities, athletes and philanthropists and showcase their unique insights and inspirational stories on how being ‘Made In India‘ made them.

    Singh said, “There are multiple media platforms addressing the relevant issues that India is facing. We share good news and views, and only good news and views. Yes, bad things do happen, but at the same time, wonderful things are also happen. There are so many inspiring stories happening all the time, but we never get to hear about it! We only hear about terrorism, scams, corruption and conflict. www.iammadeinindia.com is India‘s first platform where you will read all about, and only about, good news! Visitors can check back every morning for ‘Breaking Good News!‘, and start their day with the right energy.”